INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF NIGER DELTA (IPND) APPEALS TO NIGER DELTA AVENGERS NOT RESUME HOSTILITIES IN THE REGION.

INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF NIGER DELTA (IPND) APPEALS TO NIGER DELTA AVENGERS NOT RESUME HOSTILITIES IN THE REGION.

IPND attention has be drawn to our brothers resolve to resume hostilities in the Niger Delta region as contained in a statement signed by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) Spokesperson, Brig.Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, which was made available on the group's website yesterday, the NDA noted that it has launched two new strategies, "Operations Walls of Jericho and Hurricane Joshua" in a bid to advancing the emancipation drive of the region.

The group, which seized hostilities in the region following appeals from stakeholders in the region after a closed door meeting with Buhari last year, accused oil companies in the area of conspiring with the Nigerian Government to dash the hopes of Niger Deltans, warning that 2017 will be filled with surprises and a reconfiguration of its struggle.

Indigenous People of Niger Delta (IPND) However, wish to hereby appeal to the NDA and other affiliate groups agitating for the RIGHTS and PRIVILEGES of the people of the Niger Delta through arm struggle not to resume hostilities in the Niger Delta region as promised.

This appeal has become necessary following the above stated position of NDA, and arising from the perceived lacklustre attitude of the Federal Government towards meaningfully negotiating and dialoguing with her representatives; PANDEF on how to address the suffering and deprivation of the Niger Delta people.

We are sincerely of the view that the resumption of hostilities by NDA and other affiliate armed groups in the region is not the solution to the myriad of challenges confronting the Niger Delta region, but rather, has the propensity to aggrevate it. We are also not unmindful of the fact that Federal government has failed to show sense of responsibility and sensitivity to our plights but we believe resumption of hostilities will have a double-edged sword effect and could further worsen the socioeconomic status of the region, with its attendant negative impact on the lives of the indigenous people of Niger Delta including but not limited to aggravating our environmental degradation due to oil spillage/pollution. Also, resumption of hostilities will further scare away investors whose investments would have created jobs for our youths thereby creating wealth for our people. Furthermore the development of the region cannot come in the absence of peace and security.

IPND believes that her efforts already put on sail through intellectual struggle(DECLARATIONS) and other veritable and more tactical strategies towards addressing this age long suffering and neglect of the Indigenous People of Niger Delta if supported by our brothers in the NDA and other affiliate bodies, will yield greater fruits without any negative impact on our land and people. It will be prolific/result-oriented if every group; politicians; leaders and tribe within the geographical Niger Delta Region lend their support to the IPND in this new phase of intellectual struggle.

We, however want to call on the Federal Government to rise up to the challenges of putting an end to Hostilities in the region by ensuring a sense of responsibility, Sensitivity, sincerity and Clearness of purpose in her bid to ensure peace in the region. We condemn the lackadaisical and lackluster attitude of Government towards the plight of the region, especially for going to bed after the ceasefire from our brothers. It only presupposes that Government is insincere and cannot be trusted. To this end we want to urge the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency set up a negotiating team to resume negotiations and dialogue with the indigenous leaders/Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) to bring a sustainable solution to the crisis rocking the Niger Delta Region and of course Nigeria.

We are of the view that the perceived delay on the part of the Federal Government in entering into negotiation with the people of the Niger Delta region is basically responsible for the renewed call for hostilities in the region. It is against the above background we are calling on the Federal Government to take drastic steps to assuage the feeling of discontent and frustration among the Niger Delta people.

Moreover, IPND want to use this medium to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to take serious steps towards the implementation of the IPND Bill of Rights Declarations as listed below: (we strongly believe they are the only antidote to the many problems facing Nigeria today; which include the present security challenges in the Geographical Niger Delta Region.)

* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 01: Re-affirming the Call for 100% Resource Control.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 02: Call for Restructuring Nigeria into a True Federal State.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 03: Call for Abolishment of Land Use Act of 1978 and Petroleum Act of 1969.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 04: The True Ownership of Continental Shelf in Nigeria.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 05: Call to Open all Ports in the Niger Delta Region.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 06: Call for the Creation of Anioma State.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 07: Grazing Reserves not Welcomed in the Niger Delta Region.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 09: Call for Oil and Gas Companies to Relocate Their Headquarters to the Niger Delta Region.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 10: Call for Total Peace in the Niger Delta Region.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 15: Call for Rotational Presidential System of Government.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 16: Call for Multiple Vice President.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 17: Call for Unicameral National Legislation.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 18: Call for Decentralised Police Force.
* IPND Bill of Rights Declaration 20: Call for Diaspora Voting.

Finally IPND believes the Nigeria problems are man-made, born out of Insincerity, insensitivity, inequalities, injustice and of course greed on the part of some of our leaders. These Sociopolitical; socioeconomical and sociocultural crisis shall continue to abound naturally in human civilization, however, they are meant to be managed by people/leaders with the right knowledge and experience interwoven in sincerity and sensitivity to the rights and the privileges of the led. The kind of approach taken by a Government and her people will either solve the problems or worsen it. It is obvious that the approach of the present Government of Nigeria is worsening the situation and it is therefore important that the Government Re-engineer her approach forthwith if she must get a positive result.

We wish to reinforce the need of the Federal Government and of course the people of the Niger Delta to key into the well researched Declarations of the IPND, as we believe the ingredients for mutual understanding and Peaceful coexistence is adequately enshrined in them, if implemented to the later.

Signed :
Comr Dr Harrison E. A.
National Publicity Secretary IPND.